XC60 crossover is sexy, bright and built for on-or off-road enjoyment

By Lisa Calvi, The Province

Originally published: November 28, 2012

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Some things get better with age. Some don’t. Marriages fall under either category. Vehicles, too. Rarity or desirability may increase the value of one vehicle while another may be left to rust into the ground.

Yet another vehicle may go through various designs and improvements in its life cycle, continuously getting better.

The Volvo XC60 T6 was first unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. The premium crossover hit the streets of North America in early 2009, and has consistently been Volvo’s best-selling model.

In 2010, the XC60 was named International Truck of the Year, out of a possible 10 new crossovers, SUVs and trucks.

For the next 24 hours, we are in a 2012 version. The 2012 Volvo XC60 T6 R-Design has a boisterous exterior paint colour, passion red, fitting for our location, the Honeymoon Capital of the World. My husband and I are not on our honeymoon but, with a day off near Toronto and the key to a passion red Volvo, where else but Niagara Falls could we go?

The 2012 Volvo XC60 T6 R-Design, with its Scandinavian-inspired interior, is very cool and sleek. The cabin, with its subtle two-tone seats and minimalist instrument panel in soothing blue and grey tones, provides an agreeable retreat from the cacophony that’s going on outside on Clifton Hill, Niagara Falls’ Fun Street.

Cruising the strip and approaching the Falls in the Volvo is eye-opening to say the least. As a kid growing up in Toronto, I visited Niagara Falls and remember being awed by the deafening din of the water as it churned over the cliffs.

My child’s brain couldn’t fathom the tremendous strength of the flow nor the idea of how this cataract had been going on seemingly forever and would continue to infinity.

Today, there is so much other stuff going on there. Of course, the Falls themselves are the true constant, natural wonder of the world, hopefully giving children and adults pause about the geology and rhythm of the earth.

From our perch on the 19th floor of the commanding hotel Sheraton on the Falls, part of a complex known as Fallsview Resort, there is no doubt that the Falls are the star of the show. The roar that reaches my ears from way down there is non-stop and primordial.

The carnival-like atmosphere that’s grown up around the Falls is a bit of an unnatural wonder. Opinions vary on whether time has improved or diminished the experience of Niagara Falls.

The years have definitely been good to the Volvo XC60. For 2012, the R-Design has a new power-operated tailgate re-designed to reduce weight, increase speed and balance. It has the R-Design suspension which is sport-tuned with thicker front and rear stabilizer bars and firmer springs and struts. The XC60’s eyesight is improving with age with Dual Xenon headlights with Active Bending Lights (ABL).

Increased horsepower boosts the heart of the XC60 R-Design with a jump from 300 in the previous ver-

sion to 325 in the 2012. Torque is also increased to 354 lb.-ft, making the Volvo XC60 crossover a leader in its segment.

Won’t this surge of power affect fuel economy? The horsepower and torque increase in the T6 R-Design come from an engine control module software upgrade option, thanks to Volvo’s partnership with performance company, Polestar.

The software digitally stokes the engine and provides more torque, more push, increasing the throttle response, giving the XC60 a sporty feel, without compromising fuel economy.

I realize driving between Toronto and Niagara Falls is not the ideal method of testing those 325 horses. But I can still admire the R-Design front grille with full body colour coordination and the swirly sexy tailights. Inside, the classic Volvo steering wheel feels rich in the hands.

Safety features on a Volvo go without saying. Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake is now available on the XC60. The T6 R-Design models ranging in price from $53,695 to $59,095, have a $2,100 Technology Package that includes Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Queue Assist, Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake, Distance Alert (DA), and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).

I like the Driver Alert Control (DAC), which monitors the car’s progress between the lane markers. If the driving pattern appears to become random, a coffee cup appears on the instrument gauge and an alert sounds. Coffee break? Good idea.

Volvo’s seats are among the top in the industry and the climate controls are the most intuitive. I love that little Volvo guy!

The Volvo XC60 is serene and refined on the inside and, for a crossover vehicle, rather rakish and racy on the outside, especially with that passion red paint. It’s actually a perfect vehicle in which to visit the flashy Falls.

It gets noticed on the streets. It’s bright, sexy and almost as beautiful as a bride on a permanent honeymoon. It’s built for fun on-road and off. Inside there is refuge, romance and those all-important tinted rear side and cargo windows.